China to mark Sun Yat-sen's 150th anniversary

People pay tribute to Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925) at Dr Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum to mark the 90th anniversary of his death in Nanjing, capital city of East China's Jiangsu province on March 12, 2015. [Photo by Yang Bo/Ecns.cn]

BEIJING - China will hold a series of events to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen next year, according to a decision made at the country's top political advisory body's plenum.

Nov 12, 2016 is the 150th birthday of Sun, "a great national hero, patriot and the front-runner of China's democratic revolution," said a statement released after the plenary meeting of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee.

Events will be held to honor Sun's contribution to national independence, social advancement and people's happiness, carry forward his patriotic thoughts and revolutionary and entrepreneurial spirits, consolidate the unity among Chinese people and the patriotic united front, safeguard cross-Strait peace and jointly advance the country's peaceful unification, the statement said.

These events also aim to enhance the Chinese cohesion and promote national goals and the dream of revival, it said.